Transplanter.



PATENTBD DEC. 11, 1906.

R. S. THORNTON. TRANSPLANTER. APPLIOATION FILED MAY22.1905.

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Attorneys.

Witnesses:

No. 837,977. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906. R. S. THORNTON.

TRANSPLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY22.1905.

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Attorneys.

NIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE. Ross s. THoRNTon-or LEx NFrToN, NEBRASKA.

TRANSPLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1 1, 1 906.

Application filed May 22, 1905. Serial No. 261,656.

of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Transplanter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of germinating and transplanting plants.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and novel means whereb a large number of seeds can be expeditious y planted within a tray and will be held during the germination and for a desired period after sprouting without danger of the roots of the various lants becoming tangled.

A still further object is to so dispose the seeds within the tray that the plants can be quickly removed therefrom and transplanted without danger of the injury which ordinarily results from the untangling and consequent breakage of the roots.

The invention consists of a tray of desired proportions, which is filled With a large num- .ber of solid-walled water-absorbent holders disposed in close contactwith each other and with the inner walls of the receptacle, said holders subdividing the'tray into independent cells. Dirt is then spread over the tray so as to fill the cells nearly to the top at one operation, the upper ends of the cells indicating the positions thereof. A seed is then deposited in each cell and the dirt ismaintained in a moist condition until they have sprouted, after which the dirt is removed in separate packages with the sprouts therein and deposited in the earth.

The invention also-consists of certain other novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claim. i 1

In the accompanying drawings is shown the apparatus employed in carrying out the process.

In said drawings, Figure 1 isa perspective- 'view of a tray subdivided into cells by means of a plurality of receptacles, said receptacles being shown nearly filled and ready to re ceive seeds. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the receptacles removed from the tray. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing by dotted lines the position of a seed therein; and Fig. 4 isa view showing by dotted lines the posltion of the seed and its roots after sprouting, the walls of the receptacle serving to retaln the roots within the dirt contained within the receptacle. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom of one of-the receptacles; and Fig. 6 is another perspective view of the receptacle, showing by dotted lines the positions of the folds thereof.

Refernng to the figures by characters of reference, 6 is a tray of any desired proportions, adapted to be subdivided into a plurality of similar cells by means of receptacles 1, which fit closely together and are preferably oblong in outline. tacles is formed of a sheet of paper or other material which will absorb moisture and is produced by folding the paper so that its edges will overlap to form a rectangular tube, after which one end of the tube is folded inward to produce a small rectangular opening 2, through which any moisture contained within the receptacle may drain. It is Well known that heretofore in planting seeds for germinating purposes considerable time and care have been necessary after the seeds have sprouted to properly untangle the roots of the various plants, this operation necessitating the exposure of the roots and oftentimes resulting in the destruction of the plants. By providing the apparatus herein described these objections are overcome. The receptacles l are placed within thetray so that no vacant places will occur between them. Afterthe boxes and receptacles have been positioned in this manner the entire tray is filled with dirt 3 at one operation, and

to the top, so that the upper ends of the receptacles or boxes will be exposed to indicate to the user their exact locations. In each of -contents of the tray 6 are kept moist and the seeds grown as though the tray were not di vided into separate cells. When the plants 5 have properly sprouted, each is removed with its separate package ofdirt without interfering With the\ roots of the adjoining plants. Said packages, together with. the boxes inclosing them, may then be planted in the ground-and the boxes will ultimately rot and the roots work therethrough, so that it beco'mes'unnecessary at any time after the around the roots.

Whatis claimed is- The herein-described method of germinating and transplanting which consists in plac- Each of these recep-.

the dirt will of course settle into the separate cells formed by the boxes, filling them nearly these boxes a seed 4 is planted, and the entire planting of the seed to interferewith the dirt I ing a plurality of empty, solid-Walled waterabsorbent holders in a receptacle in close contact with each other and with the inner Walls of the receptacle, said holders subdividing the tray into independent cells; second, spreading dirt over the tray some to fill the cells nearly to the top at one operation, the upper ends of the cells indicating the posi tions thereof ;third,depositing a seed in each cell; fourth, maintaining the dirt in a moist condition until the seeds have sprouted; and,

fifth, separately removing the packages of dirt withthe sprouts therein and depositing them in the earth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 15 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROSS S. THORNTON.

Witnesses S. T. KRIER, S. O. MULLIN. 

